Mountain Battles

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Mountain Battles
File:Mountain Battles.jpg
Studio album by The Breeders
Released 7 April 2008 (UK)
8 April 2008 (US)
Recorded Electrical Audio, Chicago;
Stagg Street Studio, Van Nuys;
Manny's Studio, Los Angeles;
Refraze Recording Studio, Dayton;
as well as basement recordings
Genre Alternative pop-rock[1]
Length 36:42
Label 4AD
The Breeders chronology
Title TK
(2002)Title TK2002		 Mountain Battles
(2008)		 Fate to Fatal (EP)
(2009)Fate to Fatal (EP)2009
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
AllMusic 4/5 stars[1]
BBC (favorable)[2]
NME (8/10)[3]
Pitchfork Media (7.5/10)[4]
Rolling Stone (3.5/5)[5]
Spin (4/5)[6]
The Stranger 4/5 stars[7]
Uncut (favorable)[8]

Mountain Battles is the fourth studio album by the American band The Breeders, released in April 2008. The album was gradually recorded in a number of different locales by engineers including Steve Albini, Erika Larson, Manny Nieto and Ben Mumphrey.

Song development and recording

The Breeders released their previous album, Title TK, in 2002.[9] The group's line-up currently consisted of Kim Deal, her twin sister Kelley Deal, Richard Presley, Mando Lopez, and Jose Medeles;[10] at the time, the group was based in Los Angeles.[9][11] That year, the Deals began demoing songs for the band's next album,[9][12] including "Regalame Esta Noche" and "No Way".[12] Meanwhile, the group went on tour in the United States and Europe.[13] The Deal sisters continued demoing songs the following year.[9] In 2004, Kim Deal's previous band, Pixies, embarked on a reunion tour,[13][14] and Kelley also traveled with the group.[15] While on the tour, the sisters worked on "Walk It Off"[9][12]—footage of them going through the song is included on the Pixies' loudQuietloud DVD.[15] Around this time, Kim and Kelley moved from Los Angeles back to their hometown of Dayton, Ohio,[11] and continued working on new compositions there,[16] including "Bang On" and "Night of Joy", which came about in the spring of 2007.[12] When developing the songs for Mountain Battles, both sisters collaborated on the arrangements.[15][17] Only Kim, who wrote the lyrics, received songwriting credits,[15] although Kelley was accorded some royalties.[15]

During the period of 2002 to 2007—concurrently with the Deals' writing and demoing—the Breeders attended sessions with a number of engineers to record the album.[18] These comprised sessions at Electrical Audio in Chicago with Steve Albini, and recording in Los Angeles and Dayton locations with engineers including Erika Larsen, Manny Nieto, and Ben Mumphrey.[19] By this time, Presley had left the group to sell luxury cars,[18] so the Breeders consisted of the Deal twins, Lopez, and Medeles.[18][19]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Kim Deal, except where noted. 

No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. "Overglazed"     2:15
2. "Bang On"     2:03
3. "Night of Joy"     3:26
4. "We're Gonna Rise"     3:53
5. "German Studies"     2:16
6. "Spark"     2:39
7. "Istanbul"     2:58
8. "Walk It Off"     2:46
9. "Regalame Esta Noche"   Roberto Cantoral 2:52
10. "Here No More"     2:39
11. "No Way"     2:33
12. "It's the Love"   The Tasties 2:28
13. "Mountain Battles"     3:54

The Japanese release contains the following bonus track:[19]

No. Title Length
14. "German Demonstration"   1:36

Personnel

The Mountain Battles liner notes list the following personnel who helped make the album; the liner notes do not mention which instruments the Deal sisters, Lopez, and Medeles played.[19]

Musicians

  • Kim Deal
  • Kelley Deal
  • Mando Lopez
  • Jose Medeles
  • Steven Medina Hüfsteter – guitar on "Regalame Esta Noche"
  • Heather Winna – marching cymbals on "Walk It Off"
  • Todd Mund – background vocals on "German Studies"

Engineering and mastering

Art design

Charts

Chart (2008) Position
Belgian Album Chart 63[20]
French Album Chart 100[21]
UK Album Chart 46[22]
US Billboard 200 98[23]

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Phares
  2. ↑ Groom 2008
  3. ↑ Elan 2008
  4. ↑ Berman 2008
  5. ↑ Hermes 2008
  6. ↑ Thomas 2008, p. 104
  7. ↑ Mizell 2008
  8. ↑ Mulvey 2008
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 Montgomery 2008
  10. ↑ Title TK liner notes
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Kelley Deal knits up new recording
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 duBrowa 2008
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Erlewine
  14. ↑ Pixies to Reunite for Tour - Official!
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 Trucks 2008
  16. ↑ Bugg 2008
  17. ↑ Wethington 2008
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 Ganz 2007
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 Mountain Battles liner notes
  20. ↑ The Breeders: Mountain Battles (Ultratop.be)
  21. ↑ The Breeders: Mountain Battles (Lescharts.com)
  22. ↑ Breeders: Albums
  23. ↑ The Breeders: Chart History

References

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